2001 First Boston Charter Day following Governor
Jane Swift’s proclaiming

September 7 as Boston Charter Day

Puritans Leave for New England

At the right is a stained glass window at St. Botolph's Church. It shows John Cotton bidding members of his congregation farewell as they leave for New England.

At the left is old Boston in new Boston. The plaque next to the tracery says the following:

PART
OF THE ORIGINAL TRACERY FROM A WINDOW OF THE ANCIENT CHURCH OF ST.
BOTOLPH, BOSTON LINCOLNSHIRE, ENGLAND, OF WHICH JOHN COTTON WAS VICAR
FOR XXI YEARS UNTIL HE CAME TO NEW ENGLAND IN MDCXXXIII

PRESENTED
TO TRINITY CHURCH BY THE REVEREND G. B. BLENKIN, VICAR OF ST.
BOTOLOPH'S AND PLACED HERE AS A PRECIOUS MEMORIAL OF THE CHURCH OUR
FATHERS [sic], OCTOBER MDCCCLXXIX

Boston’s
historyas a major center of the western world began in 1630 when
the Puritans settled in Boston and in the surrounding village communities and
townships of The Massachusetts Bay Colony. A small but
very important group that gave the city its name came from the environs of
Boston, Lincolnshire, England. They were led by John Winthrop of
Groton, Suffolk, who became the Colony’s first governor.

Among
those who arrived with Winthrop on the Arbella or followed during
the 1630s, were The Reverend John Cotton and members of his congregation at The
Church of St. Botolph in Boston, Lincolnshire, including Governors Thomas
Dudley, John Leverett, Richard Bellingham, and Simon Bradstreet. They and
others who dominated the Massachusetts Bay Colony’s government for most of the
rest of the 17th century also played central roles in the
development of education and culture in the new Boston as the founders of
Boston Latin School, America’s earliest public school; Harvard College; and the
Ancient and Honorable Artillery Company of Massachusetts.

Among
Puritan women who made important contributions were two members of John
Cotton’s church. Anne Bradstreet, the wife of Simon Bradstreet and
the daughter of Thomas Dudley, became America’s first published poet. On the left is the stained glass window of Anne Bradstreet at St. Botolph. Anne
Hutchinson’s strong religious beliefs and controversial opinions made her,
arguably, America’s first campaigner for women’s rights.

Partnership of Historic Bostons

Rose A. Doherty, President 2014-2017

The last three years have seen tremendous growth
in the public stature of the Partnership and in programmatic and administrative
activities. In calendar years 2015 and
2016 over 1,000 people attended programs, and in 2017 over 1,100 attended PHB programs. Under 400 people came to programs in 2014.

We now offer non-Charter Day lectures throughout
the year. The Partnershipmoved from tours on only on September 7 and CD Sunday to tours with
multiple sections from April to November.
The Partnership had 78 tour takers in 2012, 123 in 2013, 249 in 2016, 201 in 2017. Two new tours “Anne
Hutchinson” and “Poxes and Prescriptions” were added inn 2016 and 2017 bringing the total number of tours to five.

The reading group program at Massachusetts Historical
Society began in February 2015. Six
programs each year allow the public to read and discuss primary sources and the
latest scholarship frequently with the author in attendance. We have had outstanding scholars and have
grown each year in stature and in the number of attendees. In 2016 we had 136 people attend discussions. That number increased to 225 people in 2017.

Developments included

approval of the roles and
responsibilities of trustees

process for inviting/vetting new
trustees

approval of the description of the
advisor’s role and establishment of staggered terms

goals established in 2014 and
succeeding years

calendar for planning Charter Day
events

alternate day and evening meetings

annual reports in 2015 and 2016 and
report in 2016 and 2017 to The Winthrop Society, our major donor

growth in Members from a handful in
2014 to dozens this year

committees for Member development, communications,
reading group, and tours

new 2015 look of the website, which is
constantly updated

social media outreach on Facebook and Twitter exceeded goals

continuing work with Boston, Lincolnshire

22contacts with other historic organizations in 2014 grew to over 70

wholesale and retail cook booklet sales
have a bright future

REFLECTIONS ON THE FIRST FIFTEEN YEARS OF

THE PARTNERSHIP OF THE HISTORIC BOSTONS

Will Holton, Founding President --
September 2014

During my two weeks in Boston, Lincolnshire in the summer of 1998 I met with local people interested in local history and tourism. Those meetings educated me about the original Boston and its historical ties to our Boston. Alan Day, a Blue Badge Guide and the Mayor of Boston at the time, attended all four meetings and began to plan a visit to Boston, Massachusetts in August. Before my visit there Mayor Day suggested making the two Boston’s “Sister Cities.”

Mayor Day met Mayor Menino, and we learned that our Mayor felt he already had too many Sister Cities with which to deal. Discussions with people here led John Sears of Beacon Hill to say, “You can have many sisters, but only one mother!” Plans went forward, and in the fall of 1999 the Mayors of both Bostons signed an agreement between the Mother Town and Daughter City. The Partnership in Lincolnshire is led by Judy Cammack, a former Mayor of the town. In our Boston the organizational meetings were at the Four Seasons Hotel because the Manager, Robin Brown, had grown up in Boston, England. Early on, participants included John Sears, Leo Collins, Charles and Miriam Butts, Ralph Buonopane, Rose Doherty, Chris Peterson, and others.

The Boston Charter Day tradition was started by the Massachusetts Historical Society and the Rappaport Foundation in about 2000, with the Partnership playing a minor role for three years. Then the original founders lost interest, and our Partnership took over, expanding the Boston Charter Day celebration each September. We select a new theme each year relating to the early colonial period and include all of the Massachusetts Bay Colony. Highlights include “We Are the Massachuset” on Native American legacies in 2008, and the celebrations for the past three years::”Women in Early Massachusetts,” “Crime and Punishment in early Massachusetts,” and “Survival: Boston 1630.”

From our beginning with Boston Charter Day we developed partnerships with larger organizations sharing similar interests that provide cosponsored programs, venues, speakers, and exhibits on our themes. We owe thanks to the First Church Boston, The Bostonian Society, the Commonwealth Museum, the Congregational Library, the Boston Public Library, and other nonprofits. This allows us to mount impressive programs on small budgets. In 2008 and 2012, Rose Doherty wrote grant proposals that brought us vital small grants from MassHumanities.

In 2001, when Mayor George Danby from Lincolnshire visited our Boston and signed an agreement with Mayor Menino, we produced a travelling exhibit called “St. Botolph’s Town” that has been displayed in many libraries, museums, schools, and other locations in Eastern Massachusetts. A committee planned the “kiosk” that stands seven feet tall, a technician at Northeastern University, did the computer work and printing, and Vice President Ralph Buonopane built the fine wooden frame in his basement. There are now permanent installations in our Boston Latin School and St, Botolph’s Church in Lincolnshire. Large and table-top versions of the kiosk are now available for use to educate the public.

In recent years our Partnership has an excellent website and Facebook page, managed by Ralph Buopnopane and Rose Doherty, respectively. Our Charter Day audiences are larger, younger, and more diverse ethnically because we have hired Karin Turer of Tugboat 23 to do our publicity. She has used social media and linked us with the e-mail newsletters of several organizations, and used a free reservation system that also allows people to make on-line donations.

Our Board is very active with monthly meetings. A new member in 2013, Sarah Stewart, has contributed greatly to the creation of two new and successful walking tours. With Rose Doherty willing to serve as our President, now is the time for me to take on other roles with The Partnership of the Historic Bostons. I know that it has a very hopeful future.

Tribute to the Founding President

Whereas Wilfred E. Holton is a founding member of the Partnership of the Historic Bostons, Inc.

Whereas he served as founding president and guiding light for fifteen years.

Whereas he is responsible for the enduring relationship between Boston, England and Boston, Massachusetts.

Whereas he championed the Puritan Path, which is now a reality at St. Botolph’s.

Whereas he spearheaded the creation of three walking tours of seventeenth–century Boston.

Whereas he established and wrote the Partnership newsletter and contributed to The Boston Bulletin.

Whereas he has developed relationships with multiple institutions in both Bostons to further and promote knowledge of both seventeenth–century Bostons.

Whereas he has given generously of his time, and energy, and resources.

The Board of the Partnership of the Historic Bostons, Inc. extends its heartfelt gratitude and admiration on this 22nd day of September, 2014. The Board expresses its gratitude for his friendship and welcomes his continuing contributions.